146 items removed from price watch list

November 19, 2009 09:20:22 AM

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Items such as ice cream, peanut butter, cake mix, candles and orange juice will no longer be under the surveillance of the Prices and Incomes Board.

Instead, the wholesalers and retailers will decide on the prices, through competition.

This is after the State removed from price control, 146 items that were under the Counter-Inflation (Notification of Proposed Increases In Prices and Service Charges) Order 1997.

With the removal of the order, traders intending to increase the price of these items are now no longer required to give PIB 12 weeks notification.

The 146 items include locally manufactured ice cream, beer, cigarettes, local fertilizer, galvanized tubes and pipes, cartons, cigarette lighters, custard powder, ice block and mattresses. 

The Suva Chamber of Commerce has hailed the move, saying that price control was anti-investment and anti-business.

The Consumer Council revealed that it was inundated with telephone calls from several concerned and panicked customers who assumed that all items under price control had been completely removed.

Council CEO Premila Kumar said only items under the fixed and percentage price control still remain under PIB surveillance.

“For example, basic food items such as flour, sharp, bread and biscuit are still under fixed price control including liquid and powdered milk, onions and potatoes, etc which came under percentage mark up. Also all pharmaceutical items are still under price control.”

Kumar said the council is also happy with the decision made by Cabinet to finally merge PIB, Department of Fare Trading and the Commerce Commission.

“This will harmonise all the respective departments’ duties and functions to better serve consumers under a one stop shop,” she said.

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